Imagine if you could quickly and easily replace the fat promoting foods in your kitchen with amazing meals and recipes that not only taste better, but actually increase your metabolism so that you can quickly melt off excess fat from your belly, hips, and thighs without dieting.

Now, before you think that this sounds too good to be true, I want you to watch this brand new video that proves the science of fat burning ingredients and how they can help you eat all of your favorite comfort foods and quickly lose fat and inches in just 28 short days.

Get out of bad environments as quickly as possible. Don't put yourself in situations where temptation will be too great for your willpower. Cut your losses. Don't feel bad saying no to vices. If you really, truly want to change, you won't let others make you feel guilty for your decisions. Surround yourself with positive people. Get rid of the toxic ones in life.

If you do me that one favor, your life will get so much better, I promise!

On Friday, June 5th, I'll deliver my most important speech to you ever. You can't miss it. Here's a sneak peak...

You've made it.

You've changed your life.

You've built incredible habits of health and fitness, you've overcome tremendous obstacles in your way, and you've discovered that weight loss and a healthy lifestyle don't require sacrifice and starvation. But people need your help. Will you answer the call?

Only when you accept how much effort, honesty, responsibility, planning, creativity, intensity, discipline, and control the process is going to take, will you make it. It is not easy, but it is simple.

You must follow the proven steps to success even though they take you on a hard, winding, uphill trek. Success is not going to happen overnight or come from any magic pill. Only once you accept these facts will you succeed.

Live by your personal rules and set up winning routines and good habits. Rely on your rules and less on willpower. Having your rules and taking personal responsibility for your situation in life are what separate the success stories from the wannabes.

It takes planning to stick to your dreams while others play and waste their lives, but that is your personal responsibility and a requirement for success.

Put more Structure into your life and you will win your Freedom. Structure = Freedom. It sounds weird, but trust me, it works. Stay strong and push on. You can do it. I believe in YOU!

Thursday, May 28, 2015

I have been getting so much positive feedback about my protégé Andrew Raposo's Sexy Abs Training System that I just had to send you one LAST reminder about it

It would be so unfortunate if you were to miss out on this better way to do ab training and burn stubborn belly fat (compared to the boring and ineffective ab workouts in Shape or Men's Fitness magazines)…

Andrew's 6-Pack Solution System will put you on the right path to getting a flat stomach and sexy abs that POP – and you'll achieve all of this without going on a miserable diet or doing 20-minutes of crunches or sit-ups.

But your immediate attention is required. This special offer is only available for a few more hours. Don't miss out.

Get started on sexier abs today,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Never forget!

Whatever is in your way, you're stronger than it, you're tougher than it, and you're better than it. You're going to beat it. You must truly believe in yourself. You must end the "I'll give this a try" mindset, and switch to an, "I'm going to succeed" belief.You can do it. Your time is now.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Up early, got mentally prepared, and punished my legs at the Colorado Athletic Club in Denver. It was a great squat workout that went like this:

1A) Barbell Squat Jump1B) Spiderman Climb

2A) Parallel Squat 2B) Hip Mobility Drills

3A) Full Squat3B) Back Extension3C) Leg Curl

I will bench on Friday and Deadlift on Sunday in a nice, empty gym. Looking forward to a quiet weekend of working, training, and writing a lot, plus a little preparation for this thing called the amazing 5th TT Summit - www.TTSummit.com

And though this is a bit off-topic, it's one of the best articles we've put on ETR in a while => http://www.earlytorise.com/the-secret-to-managing-people/

It was also SUPER AWESOME to have Derek Wahler, CTT, in the ETR offices yesterday. He is starting full-time as our new TT Affiliate Manager. He'll be working here in Denver and at home in Madison, WI. That makes three amazing CTT's that are a part of our daily ETR mission:

Lesa Gutenkunst, CTT of the Year 2014, Customer Service

Daniel Woodrum, MCTT, Director of CTT

Derek Wahler, CTT, TT Affiliate Manager

I love our team and the energy in our office. It's an amazing place to work...and we don't need silly foosball tables or Google perks to make it so.

:)

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:"People will try to take advantage of you...they will try to tear you down. Keep your head up and know your truth. Be kind in the face of anger." - Justin Bieber

Seriously. Must be something in the water as some of those 'kids' from Stratford should have some good philosophy. ;)

But also...

Anticipation is worse than reality. Things are never as bad as they seem. Lean into the uncomfortable conversations & learn life lessons.

Keep your head up,

Craig Ballantyne, CTTCertified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Never give up.

Keep on getting better. Change your world. There is a solution. The answer is out there. Always Find A Way. #AFAW

On the next page, you'll learn not only who these world class abs belong to, you'll also learn how you can train EXACTLY the same way to get rid of the fat that sits around your midsection and reveal your own abs even faster!

And oh yes, even Bally the Dog has amazing abs. Let me tell you a funny story…back in 2007 we were going to the Queen West Animal Hospital in Toronto for his annual check-up. It was there that Dr. Paula made a funny comment about my dog…

"Wow," she said, "Bally has six-pack abs!"

Ha, little did she know that for years after I'd still be telling everyone that I knew about that comment. I was so proud. And NO, he was not doing crunches or sit-ups.

Good ol' Bally, you can always count on him for a laugh and smile. Have a great week and here's to getting a flat stomach and even 6-pack abs this summer!

You can do it,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Give 100 percent effort…

…and attention to building a new positive habit today.

If you want to change, take action today, even if it is just the tiniest step in the right direction.

"Begin at once a program of self-mastery. Do not worry about anything outside of your control. The only things you command are your thoughts and actions. Stop aspiring to be anyone other than your own best self: for that does fall within your control." – Epictetus

Take that first action step. And then take another one tomorrow, and another the day after that. Every single day from now on take another step forward toward your goal, toward the change you want to make. Never stop and never give up.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Had a great weekend. Lots of training, good food, and even a couple of movies. I might be slowing down in my old age.

Started off with an early Saturday morning trip to the YMCA for a Trap Bar Deadlift session. Hit 335 for 5 and 225 for 23 reps. Workout looked like this:

1A) Snatch - 3x51B) Box Jump

2A) Trap Bar Deadlift2B) Box Jump

3A) Shrug3B) Leg Curl

Good times were had by all, I think, except for my hands. Saturday was BBQ day (or a cook-out, as my American friends would say). Rib-eye steak and some apple ciders. Followed that with the first Avengers movie. I wish there were more. The second one is even better. I didn't like Captain America or Thor, but I'll give them another shot. And the Ironman ones, too.

Sunday was a workout at the Shangri-La hotel in Toronto. During my workout, after a set of strict pullups, a gentleman asked me if I could help his son do more pullups. His son is in the Marine Corps, but is currently 25 pounds overweight and can only do 2 of a required 7 pullups.

They know that losing the weight is the most important step. Aside from that, I recommended a 3-day per week program. All of these add-ons will be done at the start of the whatever scheduled workout he has to do. (He will have additional training in the Marines.)

Workout #1 - 3 sets of 5 repetitions with a 5 second Eccentric (and getting a boost back up).

Then it was off to a fancy Italian restaurant (Buca in Yorkville) for seafood and veal. Portions were small...so it called for the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. It was pretty good, but I realized it was chocolate with orange, and I'm really not a big fan of the orange flavor mixed with my beloved chocolate. Still, it was nice.

Then went back to the hotel and finally watched John Wick. I thought the Equalizer was violent, but this was above and beyond.

Back to work today here in Canada, and then off to Denver in a few hours to catch up with my team at www.EarlyToRise.com. I'll be there until the TT Summit travels begin on June 3rd.

Next deadlift workout should be Sunday AM.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Stay positive, look at every day and every moment as a learning experience…and become the best "student of yourself" that you can. Find out what works for you, and what doesn't. Then do more of what does, and avoid those situations that tempt you into the wrong decisions. Be proud about what you want to achieve, and communicate clearly about what you must do to get there. Of course, we all make mistakes and temptation gets to us all. But look at every stumble as the greatest gift…a learning experience to become better. You can change and achieve your goals. I believe in you. Your time is now. Let's go!

Time to go,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Friday, May 22, 2015

Long walk in the Old Grove today, a forest near the farm, and did some bodyweight mobility in the garage. I will deadlift on Saturday morning. Trip to Toronto after.

Flight to Denver on Monday (it's good to travel on holidays). Week in Denver, then off to TT Summit on the 4th of June. Legendary weekend planned. Will deadlift before I go to SD, and then maybe again at Fit Gym in downtown SD. We'll see.

Then back to Denver for 3 days, and then head to Cleveland for a seminar. I'll deadlift in DVR, and then do bodyweight stuff in Cleveland. Then a weekend in Toronto, and then an extended vacation on the farm. Back to Denver for Q3 planning before July 1st.

Exciting times!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:This is your one and only life! Make the right decisions, right now, for it. And remember that it is the people and experiences in life that matter, not the stuff. Review your past actions and your future dreams. Keep it all in perspective. Pursue the truly important, not the shallow and fleeting illusions of modern success.

Let others have their fame and trinkets…stick to what matters, what you know in your heart is right, and live virtuously, lead by example, and stick to your vision. You are the boss of this life, make it count when it comes to what matters. Never give up on it. You will succeed. We believe in you and we know this approach will work. Let's go and keep going!

Well, here's a non-training random post for you. A friend of mine is visiting Toronto this summer with her husband and they are staying the swanky Yorkville neighborhood. She asked me what to do. Here are my not-as-lame-as-they-used-to-be-but-still-not-super-amazing recommendations. If you have some, add them. Thanks!

1) Walking Tours

a) Get a cab to the Beaches neighborhood on Friday or Saturday (Queen Street East). It's like a small town in the big city...and yes, toronto has a big beach area. Expect to do a lot of walking and then treat yourself to an ice cream. You could paddleboard there, too.

b) Get a cab to High Park...big park, lots of walking, has a small petting zoo...it's like a poor (Canadian) man's Central Park. :)

Canada's Wonderland (amusement park) or the CN Tower Edge Walk. Neither of those are my thing, but a normal visit to the CN Tower is also good.

5) Rainy day stuff...Aquarium is okay, Royal Ontario Museum is good (ROM), afternoon tea at the Shangri-La hotel (great lobby and spa, too)

6) Sports ... catching a Toronto FC soccer game or one of the women's world cup games at BMO field...America should be crushing everyone...it's a nice outdoor stadium...the baseball stadium is pretty boring, not really worth checking out.

7) Shopping...you're in Yorkville, won't be too hard to find that, LOL. ... but you can also go up to Yorkdale, which is a mall.

If you try and diet tonight, it will probably RUIN your weekend. So let's be honest, let's be real...let's find a way for you to enjoy life on the weekends while still losing weight.

There's no reason to go to a Memorial Day Weekend movie or cookout and not have a treat. You don't have to deprive yourself all the time. That will just make you quit your diet ... while ruining your social life.

And even though it's a holiday weekend for most of us, you can still use our Fat Burning Exercise Rules to show off your arms and abs this weekend. Just remember this…

A) Resistance exercise burns belly fat faster than dieting. B) Cardio is over-rated and over-used for fat loss and health. C) Gadgets like Fitbits are inaccurate and generally a waste of money. D) Crunches do nothing for your abs...but can hurt your back E) Do one of Roman's fat-burning circuits BEFORE you go to the beach or cook-out and you'll look AMAZING.

These fitness model fat loss will help you lose the last 5-10 pounds. It's all part of the ADVANCED fat burning solution that my friend John "Roman" Romaniello offers here on the next page here.

John and I have been swapping fat burning secrets for almost a decade now, and he's one of the few gurus in the industry that can still teach ol' CB a thing or two. If you need a stubborn fat fix this weekend, read his article now.

Lose the belly fat fast without cardio,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Do this too!

Make your weekend fat loss rules. Stick to them. Be positive. Love yourself. Accept that others will stress you. Be prepared for that. But love them too.

This is your one and only life! Take a powerful, positive attitude into everything that you do, every day, every workout, and every interaction. Plan and prepare for obstacles. Knock them down and out of your way.

Believe in yourself. Truly, truly believe in yourself and share your vision with positive people that will support you on your way.

State your goals, set your deadline and go after what really matters to you in life. Never give up on it. You will succeed. We believe in you and we know this approach will work.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Call me odd, but when it comes to the weekends, I'll be honest with you...

... I relate GOOD food with a great time.

I don't want to eat chicken and broccoli on a Friday night. I want to go out for dinner to my favorite restaurant and eat whatever I want and then follow that up with an action flick, like the latest Avengers movie (just watched - it's awesome!).

You see, I'm what you call a "Diet Free Weekend" kind of guy. I'll typically enjoy steak and wine on Friday, big breakfasts with bacon on Saturday morning, and pork chops and hard cider on Saturday night. And when I visit family on Sunday, I won't hesitate to have a huge meal of roast beef and mashed potatoes ...plus dessert.

Now here's my secret...anyone can eat like this and still lose weight, it's just a matter of looking at your WEEKLY calories and not your DAILY calories. It's a new discovery called "diet intervals", which FINALLY allows you to enjoy your weekend meals. In fact, a shocking study from Cornell University reveals EXACTLY how this works and EXACTLY what you can eat on the weekend. Just go here:

Now if you're looking for one of those "lose 12 pounds in 6 days" approaches, this won't be a good fit. But this study does show you can lose up to 3 pounds per week using short "diet intervals" instead of a traditional long, boring diet approach that requires sacrifice, counting calories, carb deprivation, Weight Watchers, etc.

This relaxed way of eating on the weekends is the perfect way to go. Now you don't have to do Cheat Days that make you binge and feel terrible because you feel like you have to "get it all in". I'd rather that you relax and not think about "dieting" for a couple of days a week (on the weekends) rather than over-eating to discomfort.

Enjoy the new study and "breaking free" from the diet prison and cheat-binge cycle on the weekends...

Stay Strong and Keep Pushing On,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Let us make it easier for you...

We all need to find compelling motivation to stick to your plan. Keep working to find that internal inspiration so that you can put a little more urgency into your body transformation program. Get out of your comfort zone and put that pressure on. Plan. Focus. Take Action. Set Deadlines. Hit Them. And then...Reward Yourself - with a Diet Free Weekend!

Wow. Meathead Pump Paradise. Just finished an upper body TT Meathead program down at the local YMCA. Ran into an old high school teacher that asked me to speak at a small business meeting in June. Should be fun.

Today's a beautiful day in our little Victorian city and buses filled with high school-aged students from Toronto were circling the city looking for parking spots as English teachers brought the kids to our world-famous Shakespearean Festival theater. It's always a pleasure to see so many visitors enjoying our city.

But dang, it was cold this morning when ol' Bally the Dog and I went for our 6:30am walk. I had to wear gloves and my two sweatshirts weren't enough.

Fortunately I got warmed up with a big breakfast and then this:

Warmup:WYLITPushupsBand Pull

1A) Bench Press1B) BB Row

2A) Pullups2B) Military Press

3) BB Curl Personal Best - 65x21 reps

Then some work meetings and now a day of writing, email, and reading.

Later on a dog walk, and then a comfort food dinner of meatloaf and mashed potatoes...and some superfoods, like spinach, beets, and cauliflower.

Perfectly productive day on the Farm following the 3-C formula.

Control what you can.Cope with what you can't.Concentrate on what counts.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:If it were do or die, you'd be able to stick to your workout program. Imagine you had to go to jail if you skipped your workout to sit on the couch instead. How many workouts do you think you'd miss? You'd be able to stick to your diet if you had to pay me $500 every time you fell off the plan. If you had to lose 5 pounds in 10 weeks or lose your job, you could do it. You just need to find compelling motivation to stick to your plan. Keep working to find that internal inspiration so that you can put a little more urgency into your body transformation program. Get out of your comfort zone and put that pressure on. Plan. Focus. Take Action. Set Deadlines. Hit Them. And then...Reward Yourself. You CAN do it. I believe in YOU.

Monday, May 18, 2015

You are in for a treat today. LOL. When I consume caffeine my mind races. It vomits ideas left and right. I get a little more truthful, I say what's on my mind. Most of the time it's good, although sometimes it lacks a filter. Enjoy!

But first, here's why I had caffeine. It was squat day. So after my morning writing and a dog walk, I had a Green Tea, some cacao nibs, walnuts, brazil nuts, and a chocolate-flavored pea protein powder (with frozen spinach) before I went to the gym...And I snuck in 1/3 of a can of Monster energy. Ooops. I'm going to pay for that with anxiety after lunch. Oh well.

The workout:

Mobility warm-up included: Squats, 1-leg RDl, cat-camel, bird dog with hip abduction, RKC plank, leg swings, cossack lunges, and some yoga stretches like Warrior and Downward Dog. You can find all of those on the Googlez.

1A) Parallel Barbell Squat1B) Barbell Squat Jump (empty bar)

*2) 185lbs deep squat for reps - 19 reps, new personal best

3A) Olympic-depth Barbell Squat 3B) Leg Curl3C) Back Extension

*I try to set a personal best in every workout whether it is pushups, pullups, bench press for reps, squats for reps with varying weights, # of calories burned in a minute on the bike, Farmer Walk distance, etc.

Improve your performance and you'll improve your physique.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:"Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly." – Stephen Covey … Control everything you can. Cope with what you can't. You're a grown-up. Quit complaining. Make the best of what you have & keep improving. What else are you going to do-quit? No way. Suck it up. Get it done. Your Success = Your Responsibility. Quit wavering. Take bold action today!

Leverage your energy and focus,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Here's what you get when I get caffeinated...

Dear Reader,

You can't keep doing all the things you are doing now. You do too much. It's time to call a spade a spade and realize that your time management anxiety and your success struggles are your responsibility.

It's time for you to quit being a hero, to cut back, and to say NO to taking on too many tasks. Yes, we all find it amazing what you get done. Yes, we're impressed. But yes, you're killing yourself. It needs to change. It stops - and starts - today.

You are getting mediocre results when you try to work on three important projects. We do not have priorities. It is not a word that should be pluralized. It is singular.

Here's the definition: "Priority: a thing that is regarded as more important than another." It's ONE thing. Your task is to choose the top priority and to work on it alone. Finish it, then move on. Say no to everything else.

If you don't want to listen to me, listen to these guys:

"Innovation is Saying "No" to 1,000 things." - Steve Jobs

"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything." - Warren Buffet

Imagine if you could quickly and easily replace the fat promoting foods in your kitchen with amazing meals and recipes that not only taste better, but actually increase your metabolism so that you can quickly melt off excess fat from your belly, hips, and thighs without dieting.

Now, before you think that this sounds too good to be true, I want you to watch this brand new video that proves the science of fat burning ingredients and how they can help you eat all of your favorite comfort foods and quickly lose fat and inches in just 28 short days.

People won't always understand or accept your dedication to self-improvement, so when you are having a bad day and when people are talking behind your back and making you feel bad for your RIGHT decisions, please remember this: Do not take it personal when someone attacks you. This will happen a lot when you step out of your comfort zone and become the best person you can be. You are doing the RIGHT thing. I know it. Stay strong and keep on pushing on

Friday, May 15, 2015

Today was my annual interval run through Central Park with my good friend and business partner, Matt Smith. Every year we have an annual meeting for our travel group in NYC. You can watch a promo video for the club here.

=> http://theatlas400invite.com/

I've been on trips to Italy (drove Ferraris!), Germany (drove at Porsche and BMW), NYC, and the Superbowl with the group. They are incredible people...it's filled with guys that would give the Dos Equis gent a run for his money in the "Most Interesting" category, lol.

Before the run I did a few pullups and mobility drills in the St. Regis hotel gym. Up until last June they had a gym in the basement. It was small and dark but had a good cable stack and some moderately heavy free weights and an assisted pullup machine.

They've since moved it to the 19th floor so it's brighter, but now it's filled with all the Technogym equipment that plagues so many high-end hotel gyms. It looks pretty, but it's functionally terrible. I don't know what leverage Technogym has over the Four Seasons, the St. Regis, Trump, etc., but this junk is in every hotel gym and it downright sucks.

Of course, I know better than to expect much from a hotel gym, but even then, some days you are pressed for time and you have to lift in a hotel gym. It's a shame this equipment is becoming popular. The dumbbell selection was also lighter than normal, possibly because of the new location.

Those are the facts. The best way is to deal with them with HWR workouts.

And to follow today's kickbutt mindset tip!

Tomorrow will be a light upper body day and Sunday will be an off + travel day back to the farm (flight + drive + long dog walk!).

Monday I return to heavy lifting with a squat session on the Canadian holiday for Queen Victoria's birthday. Good ol' Victoria Day. That's Canada's answer to Memorial Day, I guess.

I get a full week out on the farm, a weekend in Toronto, and then I'm off to Denver and finally San Diego for the www.TTSummit.com on June 5-6th.

The price of tickets is going up on Saturday. Reserve your spot today and get ready for an amazing weekend and energetic bootcamp with me & Durkin.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Get out of bad environments as quickly as possible. Don't put yourself in situations where temptation will be too great for your willpower. Cut your losses. Don't feel bad saying no to vices. If you really, truly want to change, you won't let others make you feel guilty for your decisions. Surround yourself with positive people. Get rid of the toxic ones in life.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Off-week, light workout at the Shangri-La Hotel (my favorite place to stay) in Toronto. I did hit a couple of bodyweight personal bests.

First, I did 29 Perfect Pushups, taking 1 second to lower, pausing for 1 second, 1 second to press up, and pausing for 1 second at the top. Then I did a 21-second hold in the top of a pullup position.

The rest of the workout went quickly, like this:

A) Military Press B) Bodyweight Row

A) Shrug B) Close-Grip Pushup

Now to the airport and a quick flight to NYC. Tomorrow, a 40-minute run through Central Park with my buddy Matt, to celebrate our 40th birthdays later this year. My one run of the year. We always do this in NYC...how can you not run through Central Park in the morning?

Then an off-weekend, and back to heavy training on Monday morning with a new 4-week program focused on the deadlift.

Speaking of 40th, make sure you join me at the party here. Price of tickets goes up on Saturday night.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Off day lower body workout here at the hotel in Toronto. Had some rib-eye steak last night and octopus at a Spanish restaurant in the city (Patria). Also watched the new Avengers movie. That was the first of the new Marvel movies that I was able to watch from start to finish. I've tried Thor and Captain America, but thought both were boring.

Today's session was

1A) Squats1B) Box Jumps

2A) RDL 2B) Stretching

3A) Goblet Step-up3B) Goblet Squat

Good superset there in 3.

And here's a good burpee challenge for you:=> http://www.earlytorise.com/workouts-of-the-day/4-minute-lower-body-burpee-gauntlet-challenge

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." - Michaelangelo

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

In four days from now you could be using this workout video for free. It's all part of your brand new – and free – Metabolic Kick-Starter workout program. In this follow-up to my Home Workout Revolution program, you'll be given a 25-day workout plan.

Your free workouts will be delivered every morning by email. You'll click on the link inside the email and it will take you a high-definition, professional workout video (that makes the P90X videos look amateur – seriously, you'll be amazed at the quality of these videos – and YES, you can watch them on any mobile device).

Monday, May 11, 2015

Saturday morning was the last workout for my recent 4-week program. That means this week is mostly bodyweight training and some future TT-program experimentation. That works out nicely because I have a couple of travel days this week.

Yesterday I flew from sunny San Diego to snowy Denver for Mother's Day. No workout. This morning I did an upper body hotel gym workout at the JW Marriott. The gym is nice, but not like the Austin JW Marriott. It has a cable stack with multi-grip pullup bars, cardio stuff, and dumbbells to 50 pounds. It also had the biggest fruit selection of any hotel gym I've used - bananas, apples, and oranges. Very nice, I like!

I did a bunch of exercises at moderate intensity, but managed to hit one personal best of 27 Maximus Pushups. These are 1 second down, 1 second pause at bottom, 1 second press up, and 1 second pause at top. So that was 108 seconds of pushups in one set. I did a total of 105 maximus pushups in the entire workout. Additional exercises included Pullups, Face Pulls, Cable Abs, 1-Arm Cable Chest Presses, and pressdowns.

Tomorrow morning is an early flight back to Toronto. I'll be there for 48 hours before heading down to NYC. And on Friday, a friend and I are running our annual "jog through Central Park". You can't go to NYC and not run through the park...we're going 40 minutes to celebrate our 40th birthdays.

It won't be until Sunday that I get back to the farm when I can settle into my morning routine again. Check my daily routine here:=> http://www.earlytorise.com/my-daily-routine-for-2015/

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Control what you can, cope with what you can't, and concentrate on what counts. Make the right decisions, right now, for the right outcome for your right life. Stay strong and push on towards your goals and towards making a better life for your family. You can do it. I believe in YOU.

Never quit. If you stumble, get back up. What happened yesterday no longer matters. Today is another day, so get back on track on move closer to your dreams and goals. You can do it. Never give up on what is important to YOU. Take action today and keep on pushing on. You can do it. I believe in you!

Saturday, May 09, 2015

I'm a sucker for steaks and training at Fit Athletic in San Diego. If there is a rib-eye on the menu, I'm ordering it. And that's what was on the menu last night at McCormick and Schmick's in SD. Good times.

That got me well-fed for today's deadlift workout at Fit Athletic. Here's how that session went down.

Yesterday I was teaching 50+ successful personal trainers in San Diego and hanging with my good friends, John Romaniello and AJ Roberts...made me think of this success quote:

"The only one that stops you is YOU. I know what you are capable of...I know you have won in the past...and I know you will win again...I know the obstacles in your way stand NO chance against YOU...because I know that you know what matters...and we know that you know you will never give up on going for it...You will stay strong...You will push on...Your time is now...this chance for CHANGE belongs to YOU."

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Stop waiting. Success begins and ends with your personal responsibility. Success lives and dies with you and your ability to take action. Identify what needs to be done and do it today. Do more of what works and less of what doesn't. Say No more often. Say YES to Focus. Say NO to other people's drama. You deserve better. Stay strong and NEVER, ever give up on what is important to you.

Follow this simple 3-step approach and you'll be able to enjoy EVERY weekend this summer, while still losing fat.

Enjoy,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - CB's Saturday Sermon...

Control what you can, cope with what you can't, and concentrate on what counts. Make the right decisions, right now, for the right outcome for your right life. Stay strong and push on towards your goals and towards making a better life for your family. You can do it. I believe in YOU

Friday, May 08, 2015

Recovery day. Hanging out with Bedros, Roman, Shawna, Mikey, AJ Roberts, and David Sinick down in San Diego. Ate some nice steak last night at Nobu.

Wagyu beef on the hot stone at Nobu.

Tomorrow we deadlift! Tonight we dine!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Persist. Stay strong. Stick to your plan 90% of the time and savor the 10% sweet spots. Plan proactively. Live long-term. Track what works and do more of it. The more structure you put in your life, the more freedom you will win. And if you stumble, never quit. Get back up and keep on pushing on.

Thursday, May 07, 2015

If you want to have more all-day energy and look 5-10 years younger in just 4 minutes a day, then I have GREAT NEWS for you today. We're still giving away a limited quantity of free 4-minute weight loss workout DVDs at the link below. You'll burn fat fast with these NO-equipment exercises. Say goodbye to excuses and hello to FAST results.

If you'd like a FREE DVD packed with fun 4-minute workouts (and dozens of fat burning shake recipes) shipped directly to your door, then all you have to do is click the link below:

You've read the ads. You've watched the infomercials. You've heard from friends at work that have spent 6 hours a week in their basement using P90X. But you don't have all that time and you don't have the money for the fancy equipment.

But that's okay, because one of our raving fans, Stephanie Abrams, has GREAT news for you today. She's living proof that our new FREE workout DVD is better than P90X…

"Craig, I have your 4-minute miracle exercise video and love it. My chubby thighs are going away and my rear is getting more defined instead of that spread. This is the BEST workout ever. And believe me I know. I am 49 years old and have done all the workouts including P90X, Insanity, and others. I feel that in four minutes I get more done and with no injuries as opposed to Insanity and P90X. I have spent years lifting weights in the gym and done intense cardio as well...but this workout gives you the best bang for your buck or time spent. (Btw, my 82 year old mother asked me if she could get a copy of your workout. She was serious. How cute is that?) I am so happy with my thighs and butt. Sorry, that sounds so conceited, but honestly, I am blessed with a pear shaped body and a leaner waist, but I am getting that older spread. So, thank you. I feel young again. I just couldn't see doing hours in the gym when your workouts give me a better result."– Stephanie Abrams

PS – If you need a free personal trainer... …I'm your man! In this free workout DVD, I'll take you through every single second of every single fat-burning exercise that you can do in your own home with NO equipment needed. This is the cheapest – and fastest – way to lose weight.Get your free workout DVD here

Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Here's one of the most common questions that I get from TT readers across America, including Fran K. from Tampa, Barry R. from Washington State, Tony L. from West Virginia, and Dustin R. from deep in the heart of Texas…

"Craig, I've been following your workouts every morning and it's really helped me have more energy…but sometimes I get a little tired in the middle of the afternoon. You need to come up with a TT 6-Hour energy booster. I am just kidding. But I would like to know if there is anything I can do to have more energy – and maybe boost my fat burning as an extra bonus." – Your Email

Great question, and here's the answer. We are very lucky to have stumbled across the most powerful Superfood solution in the world. I've known the creator, Chris "The Happy Kiwi" Ashendan since 2009, and believe me there is no one more passionate about using nutrition to boost your energy and happiness than Chris…he's awesome.

Here are the 3 best times to drink this energy boosting fat-burner (and don't worry, it's caffeine-free and contains NO stimulants at all … it's all natural and delicious).

Option #2 (2nd best): Wake up and do your workout within the hour. After you finish your workout, have your fat burning shake (using one of my favorite shake recipes) and add Daily Energy in place of a serving of fruit, because Daily Energy is sweet. For example, here's my favorite after exercise Daily Energy shake. It's called Craig & Bally's Classic Canadian Energy Booster because I always drink it when I'm back in Canada on the farm and walking Bally the Dog 3 times a day.

Blend the following ingredients in 8 ounces of cold water with 4 ice cubes:

Daily Energy

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 handful spinach (you can't taste it, trust me!)

1/2 banana or 1/3 avocado (use this if you want a thicker shake)

1 tablespoon almond butter (for healthy fats)

1/4 cup frozen blueberries (optional)

I have to fight off Bally the Dog for this one because it tastes so good!

Option #3: Wake up and do your workout within the hour. After you finish your workout, have your fat-burning shake (using one of my favorite shake recipes). Drink Daily Energy in cold water 30-minutes before lunch.

Oh, and if you exercise later in the day, stick to Option #1 and have your Daily Energy drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It will set you up for all-natural, all-day energy and fat burning for faster weight loss results.

"He, who plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life," said Victor Hugo. Script your day as much as possible so you can leave work on time, without phone calls, meetings, or repetitively email checking keeping you working late into the night.

Plan your work and work your plan, as a mentor of mine, Nido Qubein, said.

Have a plan for your meals and a plan for your workouts.

Today I planned to hit Fit Athletic before a busy day of coaching calls and teaching at a 1-day Mastermind in San Diego.

The upper body modified meathead program went like this:

(warmup)1A) WYLIT1B) Pushups

2A) Bench2B) T-Bar Row (great pump!)

3A) Incline Bench3B) Pullups

4A) Dips4B) BB Curls (at the bench press, not in the squat rack)

45 minutes. Good times.

Two days off and then back in for Deadlifts later this week...that's the focus of the next 12 weeks for my 23rd TT Transformation Contest.

Now for calls and then breakfast with Breadros.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:To win your day, be prepared with a battle plan. To control your diet, plan, shop, and prepare your food. To own your mornings, do the first things first and don't let anyone get in your way. It is all within your control. Leave nothing up to others. Identify every obstacle in your way and create two solutions for each. Always be prepared. Know who you can contact for support in times of trouble. Know what you must do. Know what you can do. And then have the will to do it. Success is our responsibility. It lives and dies with us. No one else can – or will – do the work for us. If it is to be, it's up to me. <= #truth … Never give up on what is important to you. You will achieve it. Know that you can. Know that you will. And be prepared for everything.

Tuesday, May 05, 2015

I just had a 10-minute conversation with a sweet little old lady from New Orleans. She was in front of me in the security line at the Denver airport. She just started traveling a year ago after her husband passed away and I helped walk her through the security rigamarole.

But she so cute because she had her boarding pass on her iphone, although she didn't know what to do with it when she got to passport check. I went through after her and the TSA agent, as she stamped my old school printed ticket, joked about how cute it was to see the older generation using technology. I whipped out my blackberry and said, "yeah, I'm still using this old thing", and she laughed.

Then I told the nice lady from Louisiana that we (at EarlyToRise.com) just hired a nice young man from New Orleans. She asked me about our business, and within a minute was on our site and signing up for the newsletter, and laughing at our hot topic article, "So Now Kale is Bad for You." Read it here: http://www.earlytorise.com/so-now-kale-is-bad-for-you/

Before the airport I hit the gym for a 5am squat workout. That went down at the Colorado Athletic Club. It has a solid weight room with a couple of squat racks and kettlebells up to 80 pounds. Today's session...

1A) Squat1B) High Box Jump

2A) Good Morning2B) Front Squat

Done. 45 minutes in the weight room then a quick breakfast and off on my adventures. I'll be in San Diego till Sunday, then Denver for a couple of days, then back to Toronto, then down to Manhattan, and finally home to the farm on Sunday the 18th of May.

Next deadlift session is on Friday morning at Fit Athletic in SD.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Everything is going to be okay. No matter how dark the days, no matter how deep the current dip, you are on the way up and out of it. Every step taken in the right direction, no matter how small, moves you back on track towards better days. Never give up on scratching, clawing, and fighting for each inch. An inch turns into a foot, a shuffle turns into a sprint, and you'll get closer to your big dreams and goals with a Never-Quit attitude.

It won't be easy. But you can do it. Lean on your social support, take action on your mentor's advice, do the most important things for your life first thing in the morning before anyone interrupts your day, and progress will be yours. With progress comes momentum, with momentum comes optimism, with optimism comes more action, and so the virtuous cycle goes.

Take that first step in the right direction, right now. It doesn't have to be big, it just has to be made. Let's go.

Tomorrow is a heavy squat day at 5am MST and then I'm off to the airport to fly to San Diego. I'll be there with 45 personal trainers at our Mastermind Meetings this week. This means I'll get a couple of workouts in at Fit Athletic, my 2nd favorite gym in America (behind Powerhouse in Tampa).

I'll deadlift on Friday or Saturday morning.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Don't get wrapped up in other people's drama. Don't worry about what other people are doing. Don't get caught up in idle gossip or celebrity worship. It doesn't matter who's dating who, who's getting paid what, who's going to win the game or fight (that you're not in), or what the weather is like halfway across the country. Who cares? It doesn't matter anyway. You cannot control that – don't waste energy worrying about it or comparing your life to others.

FOCUS on what matters. All that you control are your own thoughts, words, and deeds. Control what you can, cope with what you can't, and concentrate on what counts. Make the right decisions, right now, for the right outcome for your right life.

Stay strong and push on towards your goals and towards making a better life for your family. You can do it. I believe in YOU.

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Last night I had a well-earned, post-deadlift, awesome buffalo rib-eye steak at @EDGEsteakhouse in Denver...I've had it many times, but last night's was the best. Going back Sunday. It's going to be way too busy in there today because of the Kentucky Derby party.

I followed up that dinner with a morning Maximus Meathead bodyweight session in the hotel gym using some Shake Weights. Just kidding. No shake weights. But a great pump.

Tomorrow and Monday are off, and then a final squat workout before I leave Denver for the week and head to San Diego. There will be deadlifting on Friday morning at Fit Athletic, my 2nd favorite gym in America.

Here's today's Kickbutt Mindset Conversation:

I was recently interviewed by my friend Jay for his groundbreaking podcast...we talked about dealing with criticism...enjoy this candid conversation.

Jason: And if you're going to do anything, you need thick skin, right?

Craig:Yes, you can try and avoid criticism as much as possible but it'sdifficult to avoid all of it. So you do need to have thick skin andrealize that everyone's hater has the same name, "Anonymous." Everybodywho makes fun of Justin Bieber, if they saw Justin Bieber would try andget in a photo with Justin Bieber.

Jason: Of course, they would.

Craig: Most people wouldn't even mouth him off to his face.

Jason: Did you ever see that thing that Jimmy Fallon did with Robinson Cano when he left the Yankees and went to Seattle?

Craig: No.

Jason:So they had a billboard of him in New York and they had people mouthingoff to Cano saying, "You scumbag," "You sellout," "You left New York."And then Cano came out from behind it and they just hugged him and took apicture with him. That's a good example.

Craig: Oh, yeah. Well,that's exactly it. That's great. No one ever walks up to me in theseseminars and says, "You're such a jerk for saying don't do cardio." Noone's ever said that but I know there are websites online, blog postsand even like a few deranged people have like full on websites devotedto hating me. But there are hate sites to websites.

Jason: I have a couple of those.

Craig: Yeah, I think it's ridiculous. What do you think is the best biggest idea in the last 15 years in the book world?

Jason: The best biggest idea in the book world?

Craig: Yeah, so book title that's the biggest idea. We know the guy.

Jason: Drawing a blank.

Craig: Tim! Tim, 4-Hour Workweek.

Jason: Of course. Right Sure.

Craig: So 4-Hour Workweek is the best big idea.

Jason: Yup, without a doubt.

Craig:Half of his success of that book had to be from the name and half of itfrom his incredible perseverance of promoting it—he did so much—andthen half of it from the content inside so those three halves.

Jason: And he's got a ton of haters, too.

Craig:Yeah, and again those guys, especially Tim's haters, I bet you thoseguys would love him even more. I think it was Sigmund Freud who saidthat we hate people because of what we see in them that reminds us ofourselves so I think people are just jealous of Tim because they want tobe in Tim's shoes so bad. That's why he gets so much hate becausepeople want to be him so much. Yeah, they would really be in his fanclub more than any haters of anybody.

Jason: Yeah, absolutely. Solet's talk about you personally. What was a big business breakthroughfor you? We talked about when you hired your first coach. Maybe some ofthat we haven't discussed yet, maybe the last few years.

Click here for the rest of the interview => http://www.earlytorise.com/craig-ballantyne-explains-the-5-pillars-of-success-to-jason-ferruggia/)

Friday, May 01, 2015

I'm a long way from that, although I did just about run out of space on the bar today with two 45-pound bumper plates, a 25, 2 tens, and a 5 on each side. That adds up to 325 and I did a set of 3 with that.

Today's workout at the Colorado Athletic Club went like this:

1) Kettlebell Swings - 3x10 at 70lbs for warm-up

2) Deadlift - worked up to 325x3

3) Snatch-Grip Deadlift PR - 225x9 reps

(I try to set a PR in every workout...I have a bunch of lifts and rep schemes, and this is the one I chose today...and made it.)

4A) RDL - 3x10 4B) Military Press - 3x10

This deserves a big meal tonight. I've been eating way too lightly this week.

This weekend might see some accessory upper body training and will definitely see a lot of writing...I have a lot of work to do for TT and ETR.

If you haven't already read this, check out how I went from my lowest lows to my 5 Pillars of Transformation:

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tips:I'm here to tell you that it can – and WILL – get better. If you put the 5 Pillars of Transformation into place, if you plan, if you get accountability from a coach, if you lean on your social support, if you promise yourself an incentive for staying on track, and if you set a finish line, then you can achieve great things in your life.

You can and truly will, I promise you that. And I'd love for us to accomplish our dreams together. I'd love to help you build that NEW and IMPROVED life that you deserve so much.

The community, the support, and the insider knowledge that you need are now available for you. It's unlike anything you've ever tried before. And you can get the motivation and inspiration you need to change. Please accept this personal invitation to take control of your future, to achieve your dreams, to change your life – and the lives of many others.